$180k In Fines Sought For Animal Testing Deaths

LONDON - JULY 30: Tim Phillips from the National Anti-Vivisection Society holds up a photo of a caged monkey as he arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice to challenge controversial plans to build a primate research laboratory on July 30, 2004 in London. The challenge has been lost and the Laboratory has been given the go ahead to be built. (photo by Bruno Vincent/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tim Phillips Tim Phillips from the National Anti-Vivisection Society holds up a photo of a caged monkey. (photo by Bruno Vincent/Getty Images)

RENO, Nev. (AP) — An animal rights group is urging federal inspectors to fine Charles River Laboratories nearly $200,000 after the firm reported four more monkeys and other research animals died at its testing labs in Nevada and elsewhere since 2009.

Leaders of Stop Animal Exploitation Now say the most recent deaths demonstrate a continuing trend of negligence that has resulted in painful deaths of research animals. The group stepped up its scrutiny of Charles River in 2008 after a heating malfunction killed 32 monkeys in Sparks and another was boiled alive a year later in Reno when it was left in a cage in a washer.

The researcher paid a total of $14,500 in fines for the two incidents. The activists say puny penalties are why labs don’t take animal testing laws seriously.